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Gyeongsangnam-do Province is the place to go for a soothing drive in nature. The view of Namhae is almost surreal in how brilliant the blue sea is. Hadong, home to the famous Hwagae Market, is the premier tea producer in Korea. You can cool off with a dip in the sea at Geoje’s pebble beaches or take the Eoreumgol Cable Car at “Yeongnam Alps” in Miryang. In the fall, head to Haman for its Sunflower Festival. Changwon’s Jinhae Marine Park offers a zipline ride along the view of Namhae and Geogadaegyo Bridge. Changwon Ziptrek takes you along a 1,400m-long stretch of the sky between the 99 Tower and Sokuriseom Island at a maximum speed of 80km/h. Jinju is famous for its Jinjuseong Fortress, which offers a beautiful view of the Namgang River. Take the Sacheon Sea Cable Car to enjoy the view of Namhae, particularly at night. Namhae’s German Village is famous not only for its beautiful and exotic buildings but also for the view of the sea.
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Gyeongsangnam-do is a place where you can enjoy both mountains and the sea and there’s something to do each month, including attending unique festivals. The parks around Tongyeong and Namhae showcase the best of what Gyeongsangnam-do’s seas and islands offer.
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In the spring, you can find the Hwagae Market Cherry Blossom Festival in Hadong and the Wondong Maehwa Festival in Yangsan, while red rules Geojedo Island in the winter with camellia flowers. Other activities include hot springs, ceramic-making experiences, and strawberry picking.
Namhae citrus is produced in Namhae-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, and is known for its thin skin and sumptuous flesh. It is also used to make a variety of products like citrus tea, preserves, and liquor. Namhae citrus is nutritious and fragrant with a refreshingly tangy flavor. You can try the flavors of Namhae citrus through the variety of desserts made using Namhae citrus.
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NAMHAE JEGWA BREAD MELL’S CITRUS MELL BREAD AND CITRUS CREAM
This bakery produces bread inspired by Namhae’s famous specialties of Jukbang anchovy and garlic. The bread is made with pesticide-free Namhae citrus, and you can also purchase citrus cream. The interior is quite pretty, and the anchovy-shaped Mell Bread and thick cream go perfectly well together. Their refined packaging makes them ideal gifts as well.
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YUZA HALBAE NAMHAE CITRUS BREAD
This bread is produced by a father-and-son team using organic citrus grown in Namhae. The bread is filled with citrus custard cream, which imbues the tender bread with a tangy aftertaste.
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BAENGNYEON YUJA’S CITRUS PRESERVES
When you step into Baengnyeon Yuja, you can immediately see that this place is something quite special: It proudly offers its citrus preserves for tasting right as you enter. You can try their three products immediately and on the spot, served by the kind and welcoming owner. The three flavors they offer are “Pure Citrus,” “Citrus Grapefruit,” and “Tropical Citrus,” which are all concentrates from different variants of citrus.
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Q How did you come to make the citrus preserves? Namhae is famous for its citrus. These citrus fruits are all native to the area too. They can be used for a variety of purposes, but I found that a lot of citrus was being discarded, so I thought about ways to utilize them. I made castella cakes with them, for instance, or chocolate. But as I experimented, it became clear to me that the most important thing about citrus is its concentrates. I decided to focus on producing high-quality concentrate and came up with the citrus preserves.
Q What makes Baengnyeon Yuja so special? First and foremost, we prioritize bringing the flavor of citrus to as many people as possible and utilizing it to its full potential. So, we focus on tasting the concentrate that we produce from citrus. It is the first tasting café in Korea that allows its visitors to sample the products and make their choice according to their preferences. Our whole family is involved in citrus farming and citrus preserve production. The preserves we produce can be drunk with cold water.
Located at the foot of Jirisan Mountain, Sancheong is famous for its dried persimmons. Grown in the clean environment of Jirisan Mountain, this “amber jewel” has an extraordinary sweetness that only intensifies and deepens with each bite. Jirisan Mountain’s clean and clear air and cold climate make it a perfect place to dry persimmon in. In December, Sancheong hosts the Jirisan Sancheong Dried Persimmon Festival, attended by lovers of dried persimmon and a place to head to if you want to discover what can be done with dried persimmon.
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JIRISAN SANCHEONG DRIED PERSIMMONS
These sweet morsels are made by halving and drying persimmon. These crimson Dried Persimmons make for addictive and healthy snacks that are not too sweet, but remain appetizing while delivering the abundant health benefits of persimmon to both children and grown-ups.
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HALF-DRIED PERSIMMONS
Sancheong’s dried persimmons are famous for their beauty, chewy texture, and sweetness. These half-dried persimmons can be stored in a freezer and then taken out and thawed 30 min before eating. When frozen, Half-dried Persimmons can be stored for up to two years. Dried persimmons are a popular gift choice for the holidays as well.
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Changwon persimmons have a chewy texture, intense sweetness, and fragrance. It is also packed with nutrients like vitamin C, potassium, and dietary fiber. Changwon persimmons can be found in a variety of forms. Persimmon Bread and Jelly are items that cannot be found anywhere else.
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MINI PERSIMMON BREAD
This bread is filled with sweet persimmon jam and persimmon chips, creating a soft and tender texture. It makes for a good gift, thanks to its cute packaging. Bite into it and enjoy the flavor and fragrance of persimmon jam and persimmon filling that fill your mouth. You’ll be wondering just how a persimmon could taste so divine.
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PERSIMMON JELLY
Made by local farmers with Changwon persimmons harvested during the fall season, the persimmon jelly retains the springy texture of Changwon persimmons. The soft texture allows you to enjoy the special flavor of the persimmon, and it can be stored at room temperature, allowing you to enjoy their flavors anytime, anywhere.
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PERSIMMON CHIPS
You can’t help but reach for it: These Persimmon Chips are made with quality persimmon and no preservatives. They deliver the wonderful flavor of persimmon without the peel or seed. Persimmon Chips are full of Vitamins A, B, and C and dietary fiber, making them effective for the immune system, beauty, and constipation. They make good snacks for the young ones during trips or accompaniments to alcohol for the grown-ups.
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Hadong is formed along the tributaries of the clear Seomjingang River, which originates from Jirisan Mountain in the back and Samsinbong Peak in the front, and the natural conditions are perfect for growing green plum trees. Green plums grown in this environment have a great aroma, taste, and health benefits.
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JIRISAN NONGBU MAEUL GREEN PLUM PRESERVES
These Green Plum Preserves have been made by fermenting green plums from Jirisan Mountain for more than five years. The area around the Seomjingang River is famous for green plums, so much so that green plum trees line the Seomjingang River, and every house there has at least one plum tree. Green Plum Preserves can be turned into a cool beverage or tea just by adding water. It can also be used as a topping on yogurt.
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Korea's top tea producer, Hadong, is in fact one of the first places in Korea to grow tea in Korea, with records dating back to nearly 1,000 years ago for tea harvest. The quality of Hadong's green tea has long been recognized as the "royal green tea," as it was historically presented to the royal court.
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JIRISAN NONGBU MAEUL HADONG GREEN TEA
Jirisan Nongbu Maeul’s Hadong Green Tea is harvested by hand, ensuring excellent quality and flavor. It creates a clean, flavorful, smooth cup of green tea. Bring the water to a boil, let it cool to 70–80℃, and let it steep for 2–3 min before removing the leaves.
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HADONG SSANGGYE TEA
“Ssanggye Tea,” by the Ujeon Tea master artisan Kim Dong-gon, delivers a refreshing and complex mixture of flavors. A native of Jirisan Mountain, Kim Dong-gon learned his techniques from a Buddhist monk in Ssanggyesa Temple. His tea has gone on to win awards in international tea contests. The Ssanggye Tea Museum is located in Hwagae Market, so even those unfamiliar with the art of tea-making can visit the museum and get to know the tea quite easily.
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Kkulppang, or honey bread, is a deep-fried bread filled with red bean paste dusted with sugar syrup and whole sesame seeds. It is the specialty of Tongyeong, Gyeongsangnam-do. Despite its name, Tongyeong Kkulppang does not contain any honey. Instead, its name comes from the sweetness of sugar syrup and the red bean paste filling. Kkulppang stores line the Jungang Market near the Tongyeong Port.
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KKULPPANG STREET KKULPPANG
Stores in Kkulppang Street often hand out Kkulppang for you to sample. The flavors differ according to who makes the bread, so browse the area for your favorite. Geobukseon Kkulppang, for instance, is known for its thin dough and sumptuous filling. It is a good way to bring the sweetness of the coating and the richness of the red bean paste to your loved ones. The area near Jungang-dong’s Munhwa Madang is full of Kkulppang stores. You can sample some of them before your purchase as well.
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Hwagae Market is a traditional market located at the confluence of Hwagaecheon Stream and Seomjingang River, both of which originating in Jirisan Mountain, and was famous throughout the country as it formed the border between Jeolla and Gyeongsang regions. Here, wild and medicinal herbs from the Jirisan Mountain were traded, along with rice and barley from the granaries of Jeolla Province. It is also the starting point of the 10-ri Cherry Blossom Road that leads from Hadong-eup to Ssanggyesa Temple, and in the spring, it creates a beautiful scenery with products and flowers from all over the country.
Najeon, mother-of-pearl and lacquer craft, is one of Korea’s most recognizable craft traditions, with a history of 1,000 years since the Goryeo Period. Its alluring shine is nothing short of amazing. Mother-of-pearl and lacquer craft is made by lacquering wood, leather, bamboo, and other materials, then embroidering them with pieces of mother-of-pearl before lacquering the product once again. It takes 25 steps to make, and making each product can take as short as 30 days and more than a year at most. Tongyeong is said to be the center of the mother-of-pearl and lacquer craft in Korea, for most of the people who lead the tradition today have either been born in Tongyeong or learned their trade there.
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MOTHER-OF-PEARL AND LACQUER PHONE GRIP AND MAGNET
Phone grip and magnets made with Tongyeong mother-of-pearl and lacquer craft are unique souvenirs you can’t find anywhere else. They are popular souvenirs that capture the beauty of Korean craft. Their luxurious and beautiful form makes them great ornaments for phones or refrigerators.
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MOTHER-OF-PEARL AND LACQUER MIRROR
This mirror can fit into your bag, no problem. It is quite an unusual product, making it a luxurious and special gift.
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Namhae anchovy is bigger and fattier than other anchovies. Namhae’s marine environment is suitable for the growth of anchovies, making them flavorful and nutritious. The same environment presents an ideal condition for seaweed farming, particularly the rich nutrition and higher temperature. Namhae kelp is a delicious and nutritious seaweed that has been shown to lower cholesterol levels and improve circulation. Make sure to try them out as you travel in Namhae.
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AIN RIVER MARKET GIFT SET
Anchovy is a common part of any Korean table and cooking. Ain River Market’s Jukbang Anchovy Gift Set is a popular souvenir thanks to its high quality and refined design. Gift Set No. 1 comprises anchovy, seaweed, and kelp, all wrapped in cotton fabric as a luxurious packaging.
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Manggaetteok rice cake is a folk dish made in Uiryeong, Gyeongsangnam-do. The rice dough is rolled thin, filled with red bean paste, and wrapped with two manggae (Korean berchemia) leaves to imbue the rice cake with the refreshing scent of leaves. Because it is made using red beans, it does not have a long shelf life, but the sap of manggae leaves acts as a natural preservative, helping maintain the rice cake’s taste and nutrition.
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UIRYEONG MANGGAETTEOK RICE CAKE
A must-buy specialty of Uiryeong, Manggaetteok rice cake is chewy and springy. This rice cake, richly imbued with the scent of manggae leaves, can be enjoyed by everyone. Uiryeong Manggaetteok, the shop that sells rice cakes, only produces a limited amount of rice cakes per day and closes when the ingredients run out.
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Miryang’s Eoreumgol apple is known for its sweetness, juiciness, and fragrance, thanks to the mysterious conditions of the Eoreumgol Ice Valley. During the day, Eoreumgol apples take in the plentiful sunlight of Miryang. When the sun sets, they ripen in the mysterious cold of the valley, which sweetens these “honey apples.”
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EOREUMGOL APPLE JUICE
This juice is made with Eoreumgol apples, pressed cold with not a single drop of additional water, and thus brims with flavor and fragrance. They come in individual, hygienic, and large packs. No sugar, colorings, or preservatives are added.
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